Dhananjay Kulkarni, a local functionary of the Dombivali City unit of the BJP, was also the head of the ‘Anti-Corruption Crime Intelligence Committee’, a name he had coined for allegedly carrying out illegal sale and purchase of weapons, the police say.

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Thane Crime Branch Unit III had seized at least 170 weapons, including guns, choppers and knives, at the shop owned by 45-year-old Kulkarni on January 15. “The address of the committee in the visiting card and other paperwork was the same as his shop. He could have used it while buying or selling the weapons,” said an officer privy to investigation.

Kulkarni, who had been remanded to police custody till January 22, had allegedly hidden the weapons in his shop, Tapasya House of Fashion, in which he sold a variety of products ranging from mobile accessories to recharge coupons. “We raided it Tuesday after receiving a tip off,” said Sanju John, the Senior Inspector of Crime Branch Unit III. He added, “We have been interrogating him and the investigation is going on.”

But police have not been able to find out more about the buyers who Kulkarni allegedly catered to, sources said. “We are yet to find out how many weapons he had sold till now,” said a senior officer.

Kulkarni, a resident of Tilak Nagar in Dombivali, was allegedly in a soup over financial issues, sources said. “He had a lot of debt, since he bought the shop,” said the officer. This could have prompted him to sell weapons to make a quick buck, police sources said.